Rancak Media – Bank Indonesia (BI) has officially expanded the cross-border Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) to include China as of Thursday (April 30). This strategic move enables seamless inbound and outbound transactions for travelers and business people between Indonesia and China, allowing payments to be made simply by scanning QR codes.
While the service is now live, the current scope of supported Chinese payment platforms is focused on UnionPay QR, Alipay QR, and unified QR codes bearing the UnionPay and Alipay logos. Other Chinese payment systems, most notably WeChat Pay, remain in the development and technological adjustment phase before they can be fully integrated into the network.
“Whether you are traveling to China or visiting Indonesia, there is no longer a need for physical cash. Just use your mobile phone, and voila, you can make purchases effortlessly,” said Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo during the official launch event in Jakarta.
Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong expressed his appreciation for the leadership of the BI Governor, highlighting Indonesia’s significant strides in the financial and digital sectors. He emphasized that in a rapidly shifting global landscape, the banking industry must embrace innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and ongoing digitalization to remain competitive, particularly through increased investment in both technology and human capital.
“We look forward to the continued expansion of this QRIS partnership. By involving more banks and payment institutions, we are highly optimistic about the future opportunities this collaboration will create for both nations,” Ambassador Wang stated.
This sentiment is shared by Santoso Liem, Chairman of the Indonesian Payment System Association (ASPI), who views the partnership as a major milestone. Given that both Indonesia and China are prominent players in the digital economy, this integration is expected to significantly enhance transaction efficiency. With the high volume of tourism between the two countries, the system is also poised to strengthen bilateral business ties through more accessible cross-border transactions.
Santoso clarified that the integration process is being implemented in stages. Although China maintains a national QR standard, technical adjustments are required to ensure that service providers can effectively interconnect on an international scale.
Looking ahead, the initiative aims to incorporate additional payment providers, including WeChat Pay. While implementation is currently in the exploration stage, developers are working to resolve the necessary technical adjustments and platform integration requirements. “They are in the process of integrating, which naturally requires some technical refinement. However, the system is already fully operational for both Alipay and UnionPay users,” Santoso concluded.
Summary
Bank Indonesia has officially launched cross-border QRIS connectivity with China, enabling seamless digital transactions for travelers and business people between the two nations. The current implementation supports payments via UnionPay and Alipay QR codes, effectively eliminating the need for physical cash during international travel.
While the service is operational, the integration is being rolled out in stages with technical adjustments still underway for other platforms like WeChat Pay. Officials from both countries expect this initiative to strengthen bilateral economic ties and improve transaction efficiency as more institutions and payment providers join the network.
